Following an overnight rainfall and early morning clouds, the 2015 TSPS Rendezvous was held in pleasant conditions at Velasis Marina in Uraga from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6. Commander Mall and his band of merry helpers worked his usual magic with providing delicious barbecued meats with all the trimmings. Twenty-nine members and guests, including a good number of new faces, enjoyed the afternoon out on the lawn with the beautiful backdrop of boats in the harbor. Two members sailed their boats to the event.

The time slipped by quickly, as the drinks and conversation flowed freely. Kirk Patterson, currently on his way towards finishing his solo circumnavigation of Japan, was able to drop by and fill us in on the current stays of his trip.

If you missed this event this year, not to worry–it’s an annual event. So be sure to make it in 2016!

The first weekend of April, 2015 was a wet and dreary one. On the Saturday, Mike Snyder and Warren Fraser aboard s/v Distant Dreamer left Yokohama port and sailed under the Bay Bridge into Tokyo Bay with 20 -25 knot winds blowing out of the NE. We raised sail and set a course of 160 degrees that would take us directly to Hota. After three or so hours and remaining on one tack the entire way, we dropped sail 20.5 nm from the bridge, fired up the engine, and motored into port.

A few hours later, Francis and Masayo Wertheimber aboard m/v Diva arrived, followed by Per and Anne Knudsen aboard s/v Bifrost with crew Bernhard Zimburg. Bifrost had arrived with its mainsail up as high as the first spreaders due to a jammed halyard sheave. After Per was winched up the mast to release the halyard shackle and the main was furled in the boom, it was agreed by all that all was as it should be in Hota and cocktails were served aboard Distant Dreamer. Gin and tonics and Compari sodas flowed until Francis informed us that last order at Banya, the famous fisherman’s restaurant in Hota harbor, was not at 7pm as we’d expected and had become accustomed to over the years, but at 5pm. We emptied our glasses and headed over to the restaurant for dinner at 4pm, a little early for dinner we thought, but so be it.

We had the usual fine fare of sashimi, tempura, baked fish, and beer and lemon sours accompanied by good conversation and lots of laughs. Soon, we retired to Bifrost for wine and snacks and by 10pm, we were all back aboard our individual boats.

The next morning dawned cold and gray. Diva was the first to leave Hota, followed by Distant Dreamer and sometime later, Bifrost. In spite of the weather and the smallness of our group, a good time was had by all on this, the first event on the TSPS boating calendar for 2015.

TSPS held its annual Bonenkai to see out the old year on Thursday evening, December 4, at Churo’s D in Toranomon. The festivities began at 7 p.m. and ended shortly before 10 p.m. Some serious moments were observed in memory of former commander Shunichiro Yamamoto who passed away two years ago and also in memory of Yoshikazu Aoki, who passed away in November. A hearty toast was raised to both men.

Long-time TSPS Bridge officer Tony Whitman was presented with a Weems and Plath DHR Anchor Lamp as a token of our gratitude to him for all his fine work with TSPS for over close to 40 years. Tony will be leaving to return to the United States. We all wished him fair winds and following seas on the next leg of his journey.

The evening was nicely rounded out by the skilful playing of guitarist Carl Henning, who delighted the crowd with tunes from Brazil, Russia, Spain and even Japan.

It was a fun evening, which passed all too quickly.

More Photos here

It is with mixed feelings that the TSPS Bridge announces that forty-plus-year member of TSPS, Tony Whitman, will soon pull up stakes and return to the US. He will be moving to San Diego in mid December to be closer to his daughter and son, both of whom reside in California. His departure from Japan and from the TSPS Bridge leaves a Tony Whitman-sized hole in our organization, one which the Bridge is scrambling to fill.

Tony has served as lead instructor for our JMRA license course, and for more than a decade held twice-yearly study sessions. On his own, Tony built the course from nothing. He assembled a library of test materials, photocopied and packaged all the course materials, arranged the study session location, and coordinated and disseminated information from JMRA to test-takers and membership. Tony was also instumental in getting many of the session attendees to join TSPS. Over the years around 90% of  Tony’s students who actually sat for the exam passed, which is by any measure a wonderful accomplishment, something we hope to continue as the reins guiding our JMRA efforts are passed on to others. It should be noted that the JMRA course is our principal source of income, and without the tireless efforts of Tony and Chris Pitts, who serves as lead instructor for the Class 1 license study session, we would not be nearly as financially sure-footed as we currently are. (This in itself warrants the warmest of hugs, but being sailors all, we can only simple say, “Thanks, Tony.”)

Tony also served as TSPS Treasurer for many years. In this role, Tony managed our finances, dealt with USPS-related financial matters, set up bank accounts in an era of shifting financial regulation, and spent no small amount of time juggling yen-dollar rates in managing cross-border transactions of course books, USPS materials, and purchases from the USPS’s Ship’s Store. He worked closely with John Marshall, our Membership Chairman, in helping new members make payment to TSPS. But perhaps Tony’s biggest accomplishment as Treasurer was dealing with the myriad of questions posed by Bridge members at the monthly Bridge meetings. Given the changes in financial regulation and the fiscal complications of being USPS’s sole international squadron, his patience and mastery of emotion at the meetings is plaque-worthy in and of itself.

As a member in general, Tony was part owner of Whitecrest and he and the crew often joined the many sailing adventures TSPS organized. He also crewed aboard other boats and while underway, at anchor, or tied up at a dock, Tony was always generous with his knowledge and experiences on the sea. He was invaluable as crew in clarifying any collision regulation or navigation question arising from a situation on the water. He is, through and through, quite simply a boat guy.

It is very difficult to sum up in a few words how vital Tony’s efforts have been to the squadron, and it can certainly be said that we didn’t say often enough to our departing treasurer and instructor,  “Thank you for the hard work.” We’ll say it here.

Thank you, Tony, for your forty-plus years of tireless dedication to TSPS, and to its mission of promoting safe boating in Japanese waters. All the best to you as you begin a new chapter in your life. You will sorely be missed by all.

[hr] Commander Eugen Mall hosted The Bridge’s going-away party for Tony on November 14, 2014. Here are some photos from that event.

It is with the greatest sadness that we learned today of the passing of long-time TSPS member Yoshikazu Aoki.

The details of the incident that occurred yesterday (Nov. 14) remain sketchy, but we’ve learned that Aoki-san along with another man, Yoshiaki Yamamoto, was sailing for Yokohama in rough seas with two to three meter waves. Their port of departure is unknown. They were approaching Shimoda harbor for refuge when a local construction worker called the Coast Guard at 3:10PM to report a vessel floundering outside the harbor. Their vessel had apparently lost power and hit a concrete breakwater at the harbor entrance. The construction worker (perhaps working on a water project in the harbor) approached the sinking vessel and managed to bring aboard Yamamoto-san, but Aoki-san, by that time had succomed to whatever occured.

Aoki-san was a very popular and well-known sailor in Japan. He worked as a delivery skipper and delivered vessels all over the world. In 2012, a boat he was delivering from the Mediterranean Sea to Japan was set upon by Somali pirates off the coast of Africa. In the ensuing chase, his vessel suffered rifle shot but managed to evade the marauders. A video of the incident shot by a crew member was broadcast on television throughout Japan. To say that Aoki-san was an adventurous man would be a gross understatement.

Aoki-san possessed a wonderfully infectious laugh and brought enormous energy to every conversation. His passing brings on a sudden silence in the Japanese sailing community.

On behalf of the Bridge and our members, we offer our deepest condolences to Aoki-san’s family.

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Click here for a video of Aoki-san belting out a tune about the umi (the sea) at the 2012 TSPS-Hayama Joint Sail event. Clearly, the man loved the sea. Thanks to Randy Erskine for recording this.

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Please feel free to comment and/or share your memories of Aoki-san in the comment section below.

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Kirk Patterson, who is currently circumnavigating Japan solo, will give a talk on Japan as a recent maritime nation at Temple University Japan on Nov. 17. For further information about the talk and when and where it will be go to: http://www.tuj.ac.jp/icas/event/japan-and-the-sea/

Our friends at Hayama Marina are once again inviting TSPS members and their guests to join them for a day on the water. In the past, we’ve gathered at Hayama, boarded four or five boats, spent a pleasant morning and afternoon sailing, sat at anchor for lunch and a swim, then wrapped up the day with a barbecue in the boatyard (see pictures from 2012 here).  This year the plan is a little different. This time, added to the schedule is Hayama Marina’s annual Hachigatsu da yo Zenin Shugo, or  roughly, “Hey, It’s August, Dude. Let’s Party!” event.

The day will start like previous joint sails- a morning/afternoon sail, lunch at anchor, but then we return to port around 3:00PM for the 4:00PM party kick-off, and then spend the rest of the day and evening enjoying fine food and drink, Hayama’s hula, belly, and Tahiti dancers and live music. It’s sure to be a great time as always. The event wraps up at 8PM.

SIGN UP HERE

 Here are the details as provided by Maruo-san at Hayama Marina:

Date:  August  23^rd  Saturday  2014

Time:  10:00AM at Hayama Marina,

Fee:   Adults￥4,000,  Kids￥2,000

Schedule:

Part I “Joint Sailing”

10:00: Meeting time (in front of the yellow building near the boat launching facility)

10:30:  Set sail

11:30:  Anchor at Morito Bay area for  lunch, a swim, and drinks on the boat

15:00:  Back to marina, shower, beer

Part II “Hachigatudayo Zenin Shugo”

16:00:  Bar Open

More Beer & BBQ

Tahitian Dancers & Music & Band

20:00 Sayonara

Sign-up Deadline:  Aug. 11^th Monday (an early date in order to arrange enough boats)

NOTE: Non-members are welcome to attend if they become TSPS members by paying the membership fee at the event. Membership fees are here.

SIGN UP HERE

We prefer you sign up online (it’s ridiculously easy), but if necessary you can send an email providing your full name and the full names of any guest(s) to commander@tspsjapan.org

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Getting there:

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Directions to Hayama Marina

By Car:

Take Yokohama-Yokosuka Road, get off at Zushi-Interchange, take left road to Hayama, pay ¥100 at toll gate after driving through tunnel, drive about 4 kilometers, go straight under overhead bridge for pedestrian with signal, drive through tunnel, turn left at next crossing with signal (AM-PM shop right side), go straight at next signal and Hayama Marina is 50 meters ahead of the signal, right side of the road. Parking is available, cost is ¥2,000.

By Train / Bus

Train time is around 1 hour from Tokyo to either Zushi or Shin-zushi stations

If by JR (Yokosuka Line)to Zushi

Take bus no. 11 or 12  from bus stop no. 3

Get off at “ABUZURI  HAYAMA MARINA MAE.” Travel time is about 10 minutes.

Proceed about 100 meter along the road the bus is on to Hayama Marina on right side of the street.

If by Keihin-Kyuko (to Shin-Zushi) station.

Exit the platform from the exit nearest the front of the train, Go to bus stop no. 2. Same bus no. 11 or 12 stops there.

Hope to see you in Hayama on August 23.

Warren Fraser
TSPS Social Coordinator